Anyone have any luck picking up CCs from local Comcast offices in the Boston area?

I called on Friday, after picking up my Series 3 from Best Buy in Framingham. Seemed to be the only one in the area, if not all of Massachusetts.

Later that afternoon I called 1-800-COMCAST. I said I was interested in 2 cable cards. I was told they needed to send an installer, and that the 1st card was free, and the 2nd card was $2.75/month. He then said installation for the first card was $15.65, and the 2nd one was $14.40. I then mentioned that these were going into the same device, at which point he seemed startled, and said, "you're going to put 2 cable cards in 1 TV?" I said, "No, it's a new Series 3 TiVO.". He apologized that he had no information about this, had not heard about it, and that it would still go through with the 2 charges.

He asked if I was getting rid of a cable box. I said yes, 'you can take that HD DVR off the account please.' Otherwise, it was very pleasant, he didn't try to get me to add any other services, and didn't tell me about all I'd be missing.

So I called on Friday and they offered me Tuesday 11-1 for installation. Unfortunately, I have to work, so the next availble time I could get for my schedule was a Saturday installation from 11am-1pm. I hope it goes better than my friend's experience with a cable card installation and his TV. There were 3 guys that needed to come out, including a supervisior, and it took them multiple days - my buddy ended up having lunch with them!

I'd love if I could just go to the Framingham Comcast office and pick up my own Cable Cards....I did inquire a year or two ago, when I was considering getting one for my TV, and they told me back then as well, they needed to send an installer.

I really can't believe the wide range of costs...for both monthly fees, and installation fees.....and whether you can install your own or not. So much inconsistancy. I wish Verzion would install Fios to my condo complex...

It seems a lot of people are running into problems when they are getting too specific with the Comcast people on the phone. I think your best bet it to be somewhat vague but not too vague....I will explain
Dont be so vague as to just say you need 2 cable cards, they will charge you extra fess for installation and additional outlets. However dont be so specific to say that its a Tivo device or a Series 3 Tivo,

I had my best success just saying "Its a DVR which takes 2 cable cards as inputs and therefore is only one outlet."

I don't think your explanation can be much simpler then that and those are all terms that the comcast people understand, when you start throwing out devices and terms they dont know is when they will start kicking back at you.

Tried that, didn't work. They were so incredibly clueless, and I honestly think either they were deliberately obtuse, or they were told to stonewall - because the alternative is that they really ARE completely ignorant, and that's just not possible.

I called 1-800-COMCAST tonight and spoke with a very helpful CSR. However, despite his pleasant demeanor and familiarity with S3, he told me that each cable card would be $6.95 per month for each of the four cards I was ordering.

When I told him that I was confused because of what the Comcast web site said, he asked me to hold while he checked. Much to my satisfaction, he said the only charge would be a one time installation fee of $14.99. No monthly fee. Not too shabby.

Then, I asked what the installation schedule looked like (expected weeks), he asked me when I was getting my boxes and when I told him the 19th, he asked what time! Ended up scheduling for the 20th.

When I called Comcast I first started with what service I wanted (Digital Silver, not listed on the web, but they had a special on it), then that I wanted the HD service. The CSR said installation would be free, which is what the website said.

It was only then that I said I wanted 2 cable cards, thinking he'd going back on the free install. He said he'd have to pass me to a separate department for that, and needed to put me on hold for something. When he came back he asked if the cable cards were for TVs. I thought he was trying to get a multiple outlet fee, so I said they were for a DVR. (I only said DVR, not TiVo.) He said they were for TVs only, so I countered with the "no, they're for any cable labs certified device, and my DVR is cable labs certified", that I got from a post here. He didn't have an answer for that.

He tries to sell me his DVR, but I say I'm quite happy with mine. I tell him its a TiVo, etc.

He scheduled an install, which is Monday, surprisingly soon. Then passed me to the other department for the cablecard stuff. The girl there says she's had to reschedule everything to be a cable card installl, but the installer will be there on the same schdule as the original date.

Interesting that the FAQ for the PVR CableCARD support doesn't actually answer the question!

Quote:

Are CableCARDs compatible with personal video recorders (PVRs)?

PVRs will work with certain digital-cable-ready devices. To determine if your digital-cable-ready television is compatible with a PVR please consult your owner’s manual or the manufacturer of your device, If your device is PVR compatible please refer to the owner’s manual or contact the device manufacturer to determine the best way to connect a PVR.

Tried that, didn't work. They were so incredibly clueless, and I honestly think either they were deliberately obtuse, or they were told to stonewall - because the alternative is that they really ARE completely ignorant, and that's just not possible.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."

Getting CableCards installed tomorrow and just called today to get the "final" skinny on the charges.

Delivery and Install - no charge, thank goodness!

First cable card - no charge (covered under my Digital Gold "plan")
Second cable card - $6.95 per month - because it's considered a second line - even though the guy acknowledged that it was not a second outlet. Basically because I'm getting 2 digital decoders I need to pay for the second one.

When I pointed out that the HD DVR going back had dual tuners and I wasn't being charged for a second line - he said - well you were being charged $9.95 a month for it - and apparently the $9.95 covered the second line too.

I'm in Medford MA, after giving up on my tivo.com order and getting a box at BestBuy in Nashua, NH I called comcast at the 888-Comcast # and said I needed 2 cable cards for the same TV and it was going in a tivo. I got the spiel about losing vod, onDemand, why not rent our DVR. I just said no thanks, I already have the TiVo, and he set me up with 2 cable cards, both free, and a 16.99 install charge.

The cable guy showed up 1 hour before my 2hr window (called first to ask if he could). Came in with just one cable card, I said I ordered 2. He re-reads the work order, and admits that he assumed it was one. Then he says "you're lucky I was a boy scout" he had a spare in his truck that he grabbed "in case the other one was bad". Install went smooth, we chatted while he was on hold with advanced support to setup the pairing.

The number above didn't work for me in SF Bay Area, I don't think that is for the western region... CSR lady got very confused w/ my acct# and area code
So, just FYI using that number directly.

I called the 24hr svc # on my bill, asked for upgrd svc, to get cable card, they txferred me right away...
Tom was very knowledgeable, he asked right up front if I needed 2 cards for the Tivo! I said yes, he confirmed the pricing- $15.99 truck roll, cards are free (I have Digital Classic+std cable), then he mentioned $6.95 addnl outlet fee-!
which I started complaining about, then realized I still had my HD-DVR STB, so the Tivo *IS* a 2nd outlet. (oops)
I confirmed with him the $6.95 should go away once I return the Comcast STB.
I have an appt for next wed.

So, in my conversation with the Chat help line. The first thing I mentioned was that I wanted to verify that Cable Cards are free (based on their website FAQ). Once I got that acknowledgment, I proceeded to explain that I needed two CableCards for my new TiVo that would replace my current Comcast PVR and that this would be for a single outlet only. I further explained my frustration about being initially told that I would be charged $17.95/month. She seemed to indicate that the previous (3) individuals who tried to help me did things incorrectly. The $6.95 she explained won't be an additional charge since I already pay that amount against the other Comcast boxes in the other rooms in my house.

Anyway, it seems they are very confused with this new HD TiVo paradigm which explains why everyone seems to be getting a different story. Some people in Comcast customer service seem to want to treat the CableCards themselves as equipment like a box but I don't think they are supposed to charge the same fee as a cable box.

I live In Ann Arbor MI and just got off the phone with 800-comcrap and Csr told me they can not and will not install in to a machine they dont support, I explained to her the cable labs sutff, that others have had them installed etc etc. Then spoke with the floor manager and got the same response. We can not support cable cards installed in devices we dont support" So i then asked her, you support my Samsung? She said yes, I said well i dont want support I just want the damn cards. She said well we cant, I then said well send me 2 cards for my Samsumg, she said she can only send 1. Then she asked me for the model # after I told her this isnt over and she and her other co workers will be getting additional phone calls about this from other customers. So now she is looking in to it and will call me back, The last thing she said was well we can maybe give you one card for the TV and one for the Tivo but absolutely not 2 for the Tivo

So i just recieved a phone call back from the manager, She said they will give it a go but only with 1 card, I told her I know for a fact that it will work, she tells me there machine will only authenticate one piece of hardware in each unit, and practically begged her to send 2 cards, I told her its fine if it doesnt work, knowing it will and she kindly said okay we will try and noted it in my notes. So they should be out on Wednesday. We will see wish me luck

Thanks I am aware of this, but you did see that she is sending 2 cards out I will make that lil cable puppet put them both in and show them that they both work. Then call that rep back and tell her they work

That's ridiculous that they say they don't support devices that are not comcast. They support cable card TV's, right? I don't think they will be providing any support for my Sony with cable card slot any time soon, but they will sure put a cable card in it.

Just to reiterate, there is absolutely nothing special that Comcast has to do to make this work. They may think there's something special or unusual, but there isn't.

Not only does Comcast not know I'm using my Cable Cards in a TiVo (they never asked anything about what they're going into), they didn't even need any information from me when I called to activate them. They didn't need me to tell them the hardware IDs from the TiVo, the serial numbers from the cards or anything else. They already had the info from the cards associated with my account from when I picked them up, and that's all they needed to make it work. If anything special needed to be done becuase it's a TiVo, or because it's two cards in one box, it wouldn't have happened for me because they didn't know. And yet, they both work perfectly.

Honestly, I think the cable companies are making this way more complicated than it should be. If they were to just shove the cards into the slots, and then proceed as if it were two cable card TVs, they'd be fine (except, of course, when the cards are bad or there's some other problem. But those issues aren't any different because it's a TiVo either).

For those that performed a (successful) self install of CableCards in their S3 in the Seattle metro area, what number did you call to have them activate them? Was it a special number, or just the 1-800-COMCAST number?

Also, did you insert both CableCards and then call? Or did you insert one, have Comcast activate it, then insert the second one and have them activate it?

I called 1-800-COMCAST. The woman who answered knew exactly what I was talking about, and knew what to do without hesitation. I put both cards in and had both activated at the same time. I just told her I wanted both cards activated (and as I posted just above, she already had all of the necessary info in front of her; I didn't have to read off any serial numbers, IDs, etc.).

I called 1-800-COMCAST. The woman who answered knew exactly what I was talking about, and knew what to do without hesitation. I put both cards in and had both activated at the same time. I just told her I wanted both cards activated (and as I posted just above, she already had all of the necessary info in front of her; I didn't have to read off any serial numbers, IDs, etc.).

Can you explain the steps you go through, did you plug in the ccs right away before even pluging it in, or did you go through guided setup first, I am just interested to hear what steps are required. Also do you have a wireless adaptor and if so did you set that up first?

Can you explain the steps you go through, did you plug in the ccs right away before even pluging it in, or did you go through guided setup first, I am just interested to hear what steps are required. Also do you have a wireless adaptor and if so did you set that up first?

I went through guided setup up to the point where it asked for the Cable Cards. I then inserted both cards, called Comcast to activate them, and finished guided setup once that was done.

I plugged the wireless adapter in before I powered the box up for the first time, and used it from the beginning. Setup of the wireless connection was part of guided setup, though I don't recall if it comes before or after Cable Card setup.

In Palo Alto, CA - I just spoke to Comcast via the 800 number. The CSR knew all about Tivo Series 3, said the 2 cablecards would be $5.00 per month. Installation is $15.99. An additional 2 cablecards for another S3 would be another $5.00 per month. (Plus the additional HD feed is $6.95 per month for the additional tv) The first CSR who told me about how to upgrade to digital cable (I have standard cable now) didn't know much about Cable Cards, so she transferred me to the CC rep, who answered my questions easily.